The Harry Butler Research Centre (WA Museum)

The Western Australian Museum is charged by the State Government with ensuring that the State’s natural, cultural and documentary collections are preserved, accessible and sustainable.

Refurbishment of the Museum’s Welshpool Collections and Research Centre is part of the enabling works for the recently endorsed New Museum Project and is seen as essential to enable the Museum to continue to fulfil these responsibilities effectively.

The works included provision of a new wet specimen storage facility and new research laboratories, which will enhance the Museum’s collection management capabilities and ensure the security of its collections into the future.

The major design element within this project is the new Wet Store and Laboratories building.
This consists of a two storey laboratory and processing zone adjacent to the existing administration building on Orrong Road, and a single storey climatically controlled warehouse zone to the west, on the corner of Kew Street and Orrong Road.

The building provides access to the administration building at ground and first floors, and shares existing services and amenities, such as stairs, toilets and staff room.

A new reception area, lift and accessible sanitary facilities have been provided within the new building, with the intention that they will also serve the existing administration building. Minor remedial works to existing CRC buildings and conversion of the existing Wet Store for the storage of large specimens also form part of this project.